


Return to Skyhold

by TheInquibitchin



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Sleepy Cullen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 18:10:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3539108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheInquibitchin/pseuds/TheInquibitchin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inquisitor Lavellan has finally returned to Skyhold from a trip to the Hinterlands, and all she wants to do is fall into her bed. The last thing she expected to find in her room was a sleeping Cullen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Return to Skyhold

Ariana Lavellan was nearing the end of a very long day. The boots on her feet were the only things keeping her grounded, the rest of her floating away on a cloud of exhaustion. It was always like this when she returned to Skyhold from some sort of mission. It was either very late at night or very early in the morning; Ariana wasn’t one for keeping track of time. She could hear Iron Bull bellowing to Dorian behind her in the hall, shouting something about his greatsword needing another blood bath soon. Varric chuckled, his homespun laugh gritty and jovial, like him.

They’d gone to the Hinterlands again, hoping to close some of the rifts the residents had been worried about. Ariana was getting used to it, the whole defeating darkspawn and closing up glowing green fade rifts thing. She even thought she was getting good at it, that she was having fun. To be honest, it was hard not to have fun with Varric cheering Bianca on next to her as he let another arrow fly. He liked to compliment her with every successful strike, “beautiful, Bianca.” Bull enjoyed taunting the enemy before slicing them to bits with his greatsword. Varric has been trying to get him to name the thing for days now, but Bull just lets loose that hulking laugh of his, saying his sword doesn’t need a name to cut people in half. Dorian was the more silent of her group, often focusing his energy on his magic, delivering powerful blows. He wouldn’t say much of anything until after the fight was done, dusting off his mage robes with a grin and saying, “that wasn’t much of a fight, now was it?”

Ariana smiled to herself. She loved the moments when she was out of Skyhold, exploring the world and taking on the bad guys. It was like a breath of fresh air when she finally left the stiff bureaucratic world of Skyhold’s politics and procedure on the back her horse, riding through seas of green grass and rocky terrain. But after a week or so, she’d always miss home. It may have taken her awhile, but she’d finally started seeing Skyhold, seeing the Inquisition, as her home. While away, she often found herself missing the steep climb up to its stone bridge, the constant chill in the air, the sound of laughter leaking from the tavern. She missed her companions, her friends. She missed Cullen.

Just thinking of Cullen brought a rosy flush to her cheeks. He was probably still up, reading reports by candle-light, refusing to sleep until he’d responded to one more. She thought of the exasperated way he’d run his hand down his face when he read over a letter from yet another noble complaining about Inquisition soldiers mucking about his land. She thought of the way his hands, callused from years of sword fighting, would brush her cheek as he moved to place a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Or the way his cheeks reddened when she called him Cullen instead of Commander. Maker, did she miss him.

And yet, sleep still clung to her shoulders like a cloak, getting caught up in her ankles so she’d stumble every few feet. Cullen would have to wait for a few hours. She took the stairs to her quarters slowly, one at a time, step by step. By the time she’d reached the landing, she was could have coiled herself into a clumsy ball on the floor and slept. Instead, she pushed open the door, the wood rough against her fingers. She was surprised to find a candle burning inside, a small stump of wax lighting up the small portion of the room where her desk sat. She was smiling again.

Ariana hadn’t expected to find Cullen in her room this evening, let alone asleep at her desk with his lips parted open, drool getting dangerously close to what looked like a very professional report. Chuckling gently to herself, Ariana strode over to his side. It was the first time she’d seen him sleeping. The two of them had been inching their relationship towards the bedroom quite slowly, to Ariana’s displeasure. At first she just watched him, unsure whether it would be rude to disturb him from such peaceful rest. He looked incredibly content, his lion eyes finally tame enough to rest behind heavy lids. His hair had become disheveled, golden curls falling as they wished around his face, Cullen’s careful work bested by nature. But then his brows furrowed and he muttered something beneath his breath. A crease appeared between his eyebrows, and Ariana resisted the urge to smooth it away. Again came his voice, slightly louder now but still too much of whisper for her to catch. Ariana leaned in closer and waited patiently for the sound to come again.

“Ariana,” he said, his breath tumbling from his lips as easily as her name.

Ariana bit her lip to keep from smiling. She was still bone-tired, but she was becoming quite fond of the idea of waking Cullen up and dragging him to bed with her. Raising her hand, she brushed her fingers softly through his hair. It took a moment, but his eyelids opened revealing the glowing auburn irises.

“Inquisitor? Inquisitor!” Cullen rose from the desk quickly, sending a few papers fluttering from the desk. “You’ve returned!”

“Yes, _Commander,_ ” she responded, mocking him, “I have.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Cullen moved forward and pulled Ariana close, wrapping his arms around her tiny elven frame. He leaned forward, nuzzling into the crook of her neck.

“Ariana…Maker’s breath, I’ve missed you.”

Ariana chuckled and attempted to hug him back. Her arms didn’t quite reach around all the armor.

“Is that why you’re in my room so late at night?”

Cullen laughed and pulled slightly away from her, his cheeks pink. He lifted a hand to rub against the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his lips.

“W-well I…I didn’t think…I-I mean…” he stammered, not looking at her.

“Do you come to my room often, Cullen? I mean, it is a tad less drafty than your own.”

Cullen could hear the smirk in her voice and looked up at her beneath his lashes. Without saying anything, he gathered her into his arms again, just laughing. This time he rested his forehead against hers, eyes closed. She closed hers in response, just taking him in. When she opened her eyes, she met his.

“Sometimes,” he started, wearing his signature half-smile, “when you’re gone for long stretches, I bring my work up here. I don’t know if I can explain it. You of all people know how good I am with words.”

Ariana laughed.

“Try,” she prompted.

Cullen was still holding her close, his hands resting gently on her hips. He pulled his head back to think. When he got his thoughts in order, his eyes found hers again. The corner of his lips turned upwards.

“When I’m here, it almost feels like you’re just outside, just there on the balcony. As though any minute, you’ll come back into the room with that smile on your face and be in my arms again.”

Ariana was smiling and blushing, pushing closer towards Cullen, resting her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head, before chuckling again.

“Maker, it even smells like you.”

Ariana looked up at Cullen, raising herself on her toes to plant her lips softly against his. She relished in his warmth, his smell, his taste. When he pulled away, Ariana could only smile lamely.

“Just for the record, I missed you too.”


End file.
